A study from Hiroshima University found that when people were told to imagine their virtual bodies in pain, their brains resisted the illusion of ownership. Their findings could provide insights into why some people may struggle with feeling connected to their own bodies, particularly in contexts involving depersonalization or negative physical states.

Kyoto, Japan -- The Mpemba effect, in which hot systems cool faster than cold ones under the same conditions, was first described by Aristotle more than 2,000 years ago. In 1963 it was rediscovered by Tanzanian student Erasto Mpemba, who observed it when preparing ice cream in a cooking class at school. Mpemba later collaborated with British physicist Denis Osborne on a paper that described its effect on water.

Since Mpemba and Osborne's influential research, further studies have demonstrated that the effect extends beyond simple liquids and can be observed in a variety of physical systems --even microscopic ones. Yet one fundamental challenge has persisted; the detection of the Mpemba effect depends on the choice of a specific distance measure.

An infinite number of distance measures exist, so observing the effect using one distance measure may not materialize within a finite time when evaluated with another. Conventional methods typically assess relaxation speed, which is the rate of return to equilibrium after a change in temperature -- by using a single monotone measure -- but this often leads to inconsistent results.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led medical research team has confirmed that ultrafine bubble showers significantly suppress inflammation in mice with atopic dermatitis due to external factors.

Despite decades of warnings about overfishing, Southeast Asia’s capture fisheries have proven remarkably robust.

Researchers have engineered yeast to efficiently convert methanol into D-lactic acid, a key compound for biodegradable plastics and pharmaceuticals. By optimizing gene and promoter combinations, they achieved the highest reported yield to date, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based production. Their findings advance eco-friendly chemical manufacturing.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for effective antiviral therapies that go beyond prevention. In a recent study, researchers from Japan used computational methods to screen natural compounds for their ability to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. They identified 11 promising candidates, including caffeine, which exhibited strong binding affinity and stability. Their findings highlight the potential of natural products as antiviral drugs and pave the way for the development of therapeutics and further experimental validation.

Adverse genetic mutations can cause harm and are due to various circumstances. “Jumping genes” are one cause of mutations, but cells try and combat them with a specialized RNA called piRNA. For the first time, researchers from the University of Tokyo and their collaborators have identified how the sites responsible for piRNA production evolve effective behaviors against jumping genes. This research could lead to downstream diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

A research group led by Professor Wei Li from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, in collaboration with the Duke University Medical Center in the United States, has discovered for the first time that Daphne pseudomezereum (commonly known as Onishibari) contains a substance inhibiting replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The plants were cultivated at the Medicinal Plant Garden of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University. This finding is expected to lead to the discovery of drug seeds for novel drugs with superior anti-HIV activity.

Kyushu University researchers have developed a new model that can predict sunlight patterns under different weather conditions. By categorizing sunlight into five groups based on intensity and quality, the model reveals that cloudy days can help plant growth by scattering light more evenly to lower leaves. The research can potentially help farmers optimize greenhouse conditions and planting schedules throughout the season to improve agricultural productivity, and enhance our understanding of how climate change affects photosynthesis.